Dickinson first to fly in Irene aftermath

Maiden frontman pilots leading commercial flight as New York return to normal – while Seb Bach rues loss of home

All aboard: Bruce Dickinson

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson was one of the first pilots to fly a commercial plane out of New York following the onslaught of Hurricane Irene.

The singer flew the Boeing 757 his band hired for their world tour from Newark, New Jersey to Reykjavik in Iceland overnight. It’s owned by Astraeus, the firm for which Dickinson flies and serves as marketing executive.

Travellers are warned to expect continued delays after all flights were grounded due to the storm, which killed at least 40 people over the weekend.

Meanwhile Sebastian Bach has been left to count the cost after Irene destroyed his family home in New Jersey.

His former wife and children were reported safe and well, but flood damage destroyed the building’s foundations, leaving it unsafe to enter.

The singer says: “I am devastated to report my home of 21 years, my house featured on MTV Cribs, has been deemed uninhabitable. We will salvage what we can, of course.”

Amongst the lost items are Skid Row master tapes and live recordings, which Bach regrets had never been curated for a potential collectors’ series release: “How I wish there had been a reason to do a box set of something before Irene hit. Nobody cared – now it’s too late.”

But he adds: “It’s really taught me the best things in life are indeed free. What makes me happy is that my children and ex-wife are safe.”